Florida Cop Smashes Door To Rescue Dog From Burning Home in Video

A dog trapped inside a Florida home "engulfed in flames" was rescued by a police officer who smashed the front door to help it escape. The homeowners were not at home at the time of the fire on Sunday.

The deputy from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) was responding to a structure fire at a residence on Princess Dolores Drive when he heard "scratching from behind the front door," the FCSO said in a Facebook post sharing a video of the incident.

"Deputy Jekovich quickly broke the door, allowing the dog to escape the home, which was fully engulfed in flames," the post said.

In the video, the officer can be heard shouting "There's a dog right here, can I open that door?" before he begins smashing the window of the door.

He whistled for the dog to come out, saying "Come on buddy," while shattering more glass from the door. But there appeared to be no signs of the dog at the time.

The officer briefly walked away from the door while coughing before someone was heard saying "Yup, there he is. Come on buddy," as a dog was seen running out the door and onto the street.

On Sunday, March 28th, FCSO Deputy Jeckovich responded to a structure fire at a residence on Princess Dolores Drive.While on the scene, Deputy...

FCSO said: "While the dog was a little shaken up, there were no serious injuries." The homeowners were relieved to be reunited with their dog when they arrived at the scene.

"The men and women of the FCSO believe it is an honor to serve and protect every member of this community, even our four-legged ones," it said in the Facebook post.

Other recent animal rescues

Back in late February, a group of people rallied together to rescue a dog from a frozen pond in Oklahoma.

In video of the incident, captured by Michael Ryan Wade and shared by local news station WCVB, one person was seen in the water with the dog as they attempted to lift the large dog onto solid ice.

Others on the shore helped the effort before the dog and the man emerged from the pond seemingly unharmed by the cold temperatures.

Also in February, a man in Michigan described his pet as a "miracle dog" after it survived a house fire and was found alive 14 days later in the burned-out building.

The chihuahua puppy could not be found immediately after the fire, which had left all of the building's residents without their belongings or shelter.

It was discovered two weeks later on the second floor of the destroyed apartment building by a man who was driving through the complex.

Back in December 2020, a homeless man in Atlanta saved more than a dozen rescue dogs and cats from a shelter that caught fire just before Christmas. The animals were trapped in cages inside the W-underdogs building in the southwest of the city.

Keith Walker, 53, rushed into the burning animal shelter after seeing smoke billowing from beneath the door on December 18. Walker rescued a total of 10 cats and six dogs from the fire.

Dog rescued from Hurricane Irma 2017
A fireman rescues a dog from flood waters caused by Hurricane Irma on September 12, 2017 in Hastings, Florida. A dog was rescued from a burning home in Florida on Sunday after a deputy from... Sean Rayford/Getty Images

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Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health. 

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